How Your Fellow Marketers Do It Right

Winning sales & marketing best practices developed and deployed by installing security contractors across North America highlight the 17th Annual SAMMY Awards. Which companies took home the trophy hardware and what set them apart is detailed here. Takeaway tips and advice abound.

Given the consistently impressive entries for the category each year, one of the toughest aspects of being a SAMMY judge is crowning a single winner for Community Outreach. In this year’s program, ADS Security is a worthy standout.

Engaging in charitable work throughout the year helps instill in the employees a sense of pride in the company, says Craig Leyers, an ADS regional vice president and general manager. “It brings a sense of realization that our company is part of the larger community,” he says. “Also, it is a great way for our team members to pull toward a common goal, which builds camaraderie and team spirit.”

The high degree of community participation at ADS stems from the fact the firm typically has its associates closely involved in selecting which causes to partner with.

“As an example, a couple of our associates, who happen to be veterans, were interested in our support of a [veterans initiatives] group called Operation Stand Down,” Leyers says. “As another example, each year our team pulls together to support a local Foster Care Association by hosting a holiday ‘Angel Tree.’”

Although ADS does not track business referrals that may come from its interaction at charitable events, there are tangible benefits that prove deeply important to the company.

“While it is difficult to gauge, my sense is that it positions the community at large to look at ADS Security in a more positive light, as a company that is truly involved in our community,” Leyers says. “At the very least, it can effectively differentiate us from a more transient sales organization that may be in our area on a seasonal basis.”